Pretty cool bicycle!Concept 1865, designed in cooperation with the studio DING3000, is a velocipede “embodying the current state of the art technology,” according to BASF. As described by the company, the crank
directly drives the front wheel (39?) which, in order to
improve the transmission ratio, is much larger than the rear wheel
(24?). The chain, sprockets and coaster brake are entirely omitted.
This fully running prototype, noted Designboom,
gets by on a 250 watt electric drivetrain built into the rear wheel and
has interesting features such as thin optical waveguides inlaid in the
forks for the lights, softly sprung and at the same time
maintenance-free tires and a detachable seat with an integrated battery
that can be charged indoors. It makes use as well of 24 modern plastics
from BASF, with only its brakes, axles and motor being made still of
metal.